Ranking the Sooner NFL Combine Performances

Everyone knew about Shepard's route running and hands coming into the combine, and his impression showings in the 40, vertical jump, and bench press showcased the young receiver's underrated athleticism, explosion, and strength.

No other pass-catcher in Indianapolis had a better vertical jump or bench press than Shepard and his 4.48 40-time was the cherry on top of an impressive showing.

Momentum has been building behind Shepard as he rises up draft boards. Prepare for the voices of those singing his praises to grow even louder.

Devante Bond finished in the top 10 at his position for every major combine drill and it was a terrific showing for the lesser-known Oklahoma linebacker at the combine.

He took advantage of the stage and the opportunity to make a name for himself. Before the combine, Bond was seen as a possible late round pick. Now, his name will be brought up in every war room of teams in search of an outside linebacker after the first two days of the draft.

Charles Tapper's 40-time was the best among all defensive linemen at the combine at a staggering 4.59 seconds. Although, Tapper chasing down former Alabama and current Oakland Raider wide receiver Amari Cooper in the 2014 Sugar Bowl was an indicator that the two-time All-Big 12 defensive end had abnormal straight-line speed for his size.

His 40 time placed the 6-foot-3, 271-pound defensive end ahead of 18 running backs or wide receivers. Placing in the top 10 in the broad jump solidified Tapper's name on every draft board for an NFL team looking to take a chance on some untapped potential. Tapper came into the combine as a raw prospect with intriguing athletic traits and only underscored his athleticism during his time in Indianapolis.

A strong showing on the bench press alleviated an otherwise mediocre showing by Oklahoma's all-time sack leader at linebacker. Eric Striker came into the combine with some questions about his size, and despite measuring under 6-feet and 230 pounds, putting up 23 reps could help answer that question mark for some teams.

Those familiar with the Oklahoma program could have predicted Devante Bond to shine in this setting more so than Striker, who relies upon great instincts and a devastatingly quick first step that can't exactly be measured in that environment.

A better 40-time could have intrigued more defensive coordinators to take a chance on Striker's unusual skill-set, but all things considered, it was a decent showing for a prospect who will never be expected to shine in these types of settings.

Zack Sanchez was one of the best ball-hawking defensive backs in college football over the past few seasons. Drafting Sanchez is taking a cornerback who believes that he has just as much right to the ball while it's in the air. NFL teams know that his ball skills and aggressiveness can create turnovers, which will help any football team.

However, the concern with Sanchez is his ability to come up and make a tackle and his propensity to bite on double moves. The tape is the tape as far as his coverage abilities, but Sanchez did have the opportunity to highlight his strength to future coaches by putting up an impressive 19 reps on the bench press.

A pedestrian showing in the jumping drills and no 40-time on record capped the enthusiasm for Sanchez coming out of Indianapolis.

Dominique Alexander came into Indianapolis with perhaps more to prove than any other Sooner due to his surprise decision to forego his senior year of eligibility and enter the NFL Draft. Despite a productive career at Oklahoma, Alexander had questions about his size, strength, and athleticism. This performance did nothing to change those perceptions and may have even done more damage by solidifying negative perceptions about his game.

Out of 32 participants at linebacker in the vertical and broad jumps meant to measure explosion, Alexander finished 31st and 32nd respectively.

The largest Sooner to participate in the NFL combine, offensive guard Nila Kasitati, had the worst performance on the bench press - finishing seven reps behind 185-pound cornerback Zack Sanchez.

There were questions heading into the combine about Kasitati's athleticism and now he leaves Indianapolis with even more questions about his strength. It was already an uphill battle for the former Sooner guard to be drafted and now Kasitati must hope to redeem himself during Oklahoma's pro day.